Should You Speak to an Insurance Agent After a Car Accident?

Whether you have been involved in a minor fender-bender car accident or a serious wreck, dealing with the aftermath of a car accident can be stressful and difficult. Of course, the most important thing you can do after an accident is get any necessary medical care. After you’ve begun treatment for your injuries, it is important to speak with an attorney with experience handling motor vehicle accident personal injury cases. The attorneys at Rutter Mills have successfully handled many personal injury cases resulting from car accidents and have obtained numerous favorable results for their clients. Contact the attorneys at Rutter Mills today for help moving forward with your personal injury auto accident case.

What to Do if You Are Contacted by an Insurance Agent After a Car Accident

After you have been involved in a car accident, you may receive a phone call from an insurance agent or adjuster. The insurance agent may request a recorded statement from you or may even make a settlement offer to resolve your claim at that time. At Rutter Mills, we advise our clients not to speak with an insurance agent at any time unless we have determined it may be beneficial to our client’s case, in which case we provide our clients with more detailed instructions and may be present for the statement. If an insurance agent contacts you, simply decline to provide any additional information until you have discussed your case with your attorney.

Avoid Giving an Insurance Agent a Recorded Statement

It is advisable for a potential plaintiff in a personal injury case to avoid giving statements to insurance agents without the advice and guidance of their attorney. One of the reasons it is so important to avoid giving a statement without the guidance of an attorney is because it can be very easy for a plaintiff who is inexperienced in the law to make statements that are not worded very carefully, and which could end up being harmful to their case.

Another reason it is important to avoid discussing the car accident with an insurance agent is because a potential plaintiff may not be aware of the full extent of their injuries at the time they speak with the insurance agent and they may state that they are “fine” or not experiencing any pain due to the accident, when that could easily change within a day or two after the accident as an injury develops, particularly in the case of soft tissue injuries.

Avoid Agreeing to a Settlement Before Consulting with an Attorney

It is to your benefit as a motor vehicle accident victim to speak with an experienced attorney regarding your case before speaking with an insurance agent and agreeing to any type of settlement. It is not uncommon for an insurance agent working for the insurance company of the at-fault driver to contact you as a potential plaintiff within a day or two after the accident and offer a nominal settlement amount (such as $500 or $1,000) to settle your case. Accepting a settlement like this is generally a bad idea, and yet another reason it is not advisable to speak with an insurance agent before discussing your case with an attorney. Immediately after the accident, you may not be aware of the full extent of your injuries and agreeing to a settlement before you’ve completed medical care may preclude you from having your remaining bills paid.

If you need help dealing with your potential claim for personal injuries after an auto accident in Virginia, call the attorneys at Rutter Mills today to get started with your case and begin your path toward compensation for your injuries.